Apparatus for compacting curd in the process of manufacturing cheese

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is disclosed for compacting curd in the process of manufacturing cheese, the object being to provide apparatus whereby a mass of curd can be vacuum pressed into a single block of such large dimensions as to enable it to be cut into a plurality of separate pieces of a size comparable with or corresponding to that of standard unwrapped cheeses or consumer portions or wrapped as a complete block or part thereof, the apparatus thus having the important advantage of avoiding the time-consuming procedure hitherto adopted of vacuum pressing relatively small quantities of curd in separate hoops to form individual cheeses. The apparatus comprises a perforated metal sleeve adapted to receive a mass of curd. A metal casing surrounds the sleeve in such manner that a jacketed space is formed between the two. A lid or cover plate closes one end of the casing. The lid or cover plate is held removably in closed position. A piston slidably engages in the sleeve and is moved toward and away from the lid or cover plate when applied. The jacketed space between the sleeve and casing can be placed in communication with a source of vacuum, the sleeve being of foursided prismatic shape and of such internal capacity that when a sufficient quantity of curd has been placed therein and has been vacuumized through the jacketed space and the perforations in the sleeve and has also been compressed by the piston, there will be formed a compacted block of curd of such large size that when freed, or while being freed, from the sleeve, it can be cut into a plurality of pieces of a size comparable with or corresponding to that of unwrapped cheese of standard size or consumer portions.

United States Patent 1 Whelan [111 3,748,072 July 24, 1973 APPARATUS FORCOMPACTING CURD IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING CHEESE [75] Inventor:Edmund Kerran Whelan, Hawera,

New Zealand [73] Assignee: The National Dairy Association of New ZealandLimited, Wellington, New Zealand [22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1972 [21] Appl.No.: 215,778

2,904,835 9/1959 Thomas 425/84 X 3,317,999 5/1967 Royer et al. 425/843,355,805 12/1967 Krueger et al. 425/84 X 3,526,688 9/1970 Shelton et al425/405 X PrimaryExaminer-J. Howard Flint, Jr. Attorney-Eric H. Waterset al.

57 ABSTRACT Apparatus is disclosed for compacting curd in the process ofmanufacturing cheese, the object being to provide apparatus whereby amass of curd can be vacuum pressed into a single block of such largedimensions as to enable it to be cut into a plurality of separate piecesof a size comparable with or corresponding to that of standard unwrappedcheeses or consumer portions or wrapped as a complete block or partthereof, the apparatus thus having the important advantage of avoidingthe time-consuming procedure hitherto adopted of vacuum pressingrelatively small quantities of curd in separate hoops to form individualcheeses. The apparatus comprises a perforated metal sleeve adapted toreceive a mass of curd. A metal casing surrounds the sleeve in suchmanner that a jacketed space is formed between the two. A lid or coverplate closes one end of the easing. The lid or cover plate is heldremovably in closed position. A piston slidably engages in the sleeveand is moved toward and away from the lid or cover plate when applied.The jacketed space between the sleeve and casing can be placed incommunication with a source of vacuum, the sleeve being of four-sidedprismatic shape and of such internal capacity that when a sufficientquantity of curd has been placed therein and has been vacuumized throughthe jacketed space and the perforations in the sleeve and has also beencompressed by the .piston, there will be formed a compacted block ofcurd of such large size that when freed, or while being freed, from thesleeve, it can be cut into a plurality of pieces of a size comparablewith or corresponding to that of unwrapped cheese of standard size orconsumer portions.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures United States'Patent 1 [111 3,748,072

Whelan [451 July 24,1973

Patented July 24, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 24, 1973 2Sheets-Sheet 2 5' I J m r Q 20 E 5! X T" (X 6 -15 /8 E 5 I o a ov c o a3 l7 -aa s o a ,7 .34 0 O 0 0 (3 O O O 0 ZZ 7777 w APPARATUS FORCOMPACTING CURD IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING CHEESE The inventionrelates to apparatus for compacting curd in the process of manufacturingcheese, the object of the invention being to provide apparatus whereby amass of curd can be vacuum pressed into a single block of such largedimensions as to enable it to be cut into a plurality of separate piecesof a size comparable with or corresponding to that of standard unwrappedcheeses or consumer portions or wrapped as a complete block or partthereof, the apparatus thus having the important advantage of avoidingthe timeconsuming procedure hitherto adopted of vacuum pressingrelatively small quantities of curd in separate hoops to form individualcheeses.

The apparatus of the invention comprises a pedestal, a verticallydisposed tubular metal casing mounted on and secured to the pedestal, avertically disposed perforated metal sleeve of rectangular shape incross-section arranged within the casing in such a manner that ajacketed space is formed between the two, the sleeve also being securedagainst movement to the pedestal and being adapted to receive a mass ofcurd, a lid or cover plate for closing the upper end of the casing,means for holding the lid or cover plate removably in closed position, apiston engaged for upward and downward movement within the perforatedsleeve, the piston being secured'to the upperend of theactuating rod ofa vertically disposed ram the cylinder of which is secured to andsuspended from the pedestal, and means enabling the jacketedspacebetween the casing and the sleeve to be placed in communicationwith a source of vacuum.

An embodiment of the apparaturs of the invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view to an enlarged scale on the line 11 IIin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus to a furtherenlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary verticalsectional view illustrating certaindetails to a still further enlarged scale.

The apparatus illustrated comprises ametal pedestal l which is securedby bolts 2. (FIGS. 2 and 3) upon a floor3 in a suitable part of acheesefactory, the pedestal-being arranged over an opening 4 in the floor. Thefloor 3 may be a ground floor in which case it will form also theceiling of a'basement room with which the opening 4 is in communication,or it may be the floor of an upstairs room in which case the'opening 4will be in communication with the room beneath. Between its upper andlower edges, the pedestal 1 is formed with a horizontal partition 5containing-a centrally disposed opening 6 (FIG. 3) which lies over theopening 4 in the floor 3 and is defined by a depending marginal skirtportion 7 forming part of the pedestal. To one side of the opening 6,the partition 5 in the pedestal 1 is formed with a drain hole 8 to whicha valve-controlled drainpipe (not shown) can be connected, this pipepassingthrough the opening 4 in the floor 3 to the room beneath.-.

Upon the pedestal there is'mounted and secured a vertically disposedcasing 9 of four-sided prismatic form and of rectangular shape incross-section (see FIG. 2) the casing being made from sheet metal andbeing strengthened by the provision of a plurality of horizontallydisposed metal rib members 10 which are spaced one above the otheraround the outside of the casing and are joined at their inner edges tothe casing.

The rib members 10 of the casing 9 are enclosed in a shell or sheathingll of sheet metal which lies against the outer edges of the ribmembersand serves to give the assembly a neat and smooth externalappearance.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shell 11 is formed, on opposite sides, withholes 12 which continue through plates 13 secured between two adjacentribs 10 on the casing 9, this arrangement enabling the assembly ofcasing and shell to be connected to lifting tackle used during assemblyof the apparatus.

The upper end of the casing 9 is provided with a removable lid or coverplate 14 which normally bears on an outwardly projecting flange 15formed on the casing. The lid 14 is normally held tightly in place bymeans of a series of G-clamps 16 (FIGS. 1 and 3) distributed around thetop of the casing 9. The body parts of the clamps 16 are pivotallyconnected to lugs 17 provided on the upper. end part of the casing 9 andpositioned just beneath the flange 15, the screws of the clamps beingadapted to bear on the marginal part of the lid 14. In the upper face ofthe flange 15 there is formed a recess containing a gasket 18 (FIG. 3)of rubber or like resilient material. In the under face of the marginalpart of the lid 14 there is formed 'a groove containing a sealing ring19 of rubber or other suitable material. When the clamps 16 are inoperative position and the screws thereof are tightened down on to thelid 14, the sealing ring 19 and gasket 18 become compacted together,thereby formingan air-tight joint between the lid 14 and the flange 15on the upper end of the casing 9. The lid 14 is formed with ascrewthreaded socket 20 enabling it to be connected to lifting tacklewhen the screws of the G-clamps 16 have been loosened and the clampsswung outwardly and downwardly to thereby free the lid for removal.

Withinthe casing 9 there is provided a metal sleeve 21 which is also offour-sided prismatic form and of rectangular shape in cross-section,the. sides of the sleeve being formed with a multiplicity ofperforations some of which are indicated at 22 in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thesides of the sleeve 21 are also formed with a multiplicity of outwardlyprojecting nodules 23 the peaks of which bear against the inside facesof the casing 9, thereby providing a jacketed space 24 between sleeveand casing. The lower end part of the sleeve projects below the casing 9and enters the upper part of the ped estal 1, this part of the sleevebeing secured to lugs 25 (FIGS. 1 and 3) provided on the partition 5 ofthe pedestal. This arrangement acts to hold the sleeve- 21 againstvertical movement, lateral movement of the sleeve being prevented byengagement of the peaks of the nodules 23 with the inside faces of thecasing'9.

The sleeve 21 contains a piston 26 having a flat upper surface, thepiston being secured to the upper end of the actuating rod 27 of avertically disposed ram, the cylinder of which is indicated at 28 inFIGS. 1 and 3. The upper end part of the ram cylinder 28 has a flange 29(FIG. 3) which lies within the opening 6 in the partition 5 of thepedestal 1, the cylinder being secured to and suspended from thepedestal by means of bolts-30 which pass through an abutment ring 31secured within the opening 6 and through the flange 29 onthe cylinder.The part of the cylinder 28 lying below the flange 29 passes downthrough the opening 4 in the floor 3 and into the room lying below thisfloor, the cylinder being provided with the necessary valve-controlledpressure-fluid connections (not shown) for actuating the rod 27 of theram when desired.

The piston is of such cross-sectional size as to allow for the presencein the sleeve of a thin perforated line 32 (FIG. 4) made from a suitablekind of plastic or stainless steel, while still leaving the piston witha working clearance. The flat top of the piston acts as a support for afacing pad 33 of white rubber or other suitable resilient material whichpromotes the obtaining of a close working fit between the piston and theinner faces of the liner 32.

Around the upper end part of the casing 9 and just below the lugs 17there is provided a hollow manifold 34 having a tubular spigot 35(FIG. 1) to which one end of a pipe (not shown) can be joined, the otherend of the pipe being connected to a vacuum pump or to a vacuum chamberforming part of a vacuum pump unit. The manifold is provided with aplurality of inwardly projecting tubular branches 36 (FIG. 3) which passthrough the casing 9 and open to the jacketed space 24 lying between theinside faces of the casing and the outer faces of the sleeve 21.

Within the upper part of the pedestal 1 there is preferably provided aninverted dish-shaped plate 37 (FIG. 3) which covers the upper end of theram cylinder 28 and surrounds the actuating rod 27 at a point lyingclose to this end of the cylinder. This plate is secured to thepartition of the pedestal by means of bolts 37a, while the central partof the plate that actually surrounds the rod 27 is formed with anannular groove containing a sealing ring 38 which bears against theouter surface of the rod and acts to prevent any pressure fluid that mayleak from the upper end of the cylinder from finding its way into thepart of the pedestal l that'surrounds the plate 34 and contains thelower end part of the sleeve 21.

The side walls of the part of the pedestal 1 that lies above thepartition 5 are formed with inspection ports 39 which are normallyclosed by removable but tightly fitting covers 40 (FIGS. 1 and 3). v

In practice, the sleeve 21, when viewed in plan, may measure, saytwentyeight inches in breadth by twentytwo inches in width, thesedimensions giving a crosssectional area corresponding substantially tothe total cross-sectional area of four unwrapped cheeses of conventionalsize. The height of the sleeve may conveniently be between seven andeight feet. With these several dimensions and subject to the piston 26being placed in its fully retracted position to start with, and to thepresence of the liner 32 which is, in any case, quite thin, the part ofthe sleeve lying between the piston and the lid 14 will have a cubiccapacity permitting of the production of a block of vacuum pressed curdof such dimensions as to enable it to be cut not only into a group offour cheeses in the cross-section, but also into several groups ofcheeses with four cheeses in each group.

The apparatus is used as follows:

TheG-clamps 16 are brought to their inoperative positions and the lid 14is then removed. The ram is now operated to cause the actuating rod 27thereof to be retracted until the piston 26 is brought down to itslowermost position, thus position being approximately that shown inFIG. 1. When this position has been reached, the perforated liner 32 isinserted in the sleeve 21 through the open top of the casing 9, theliner then being pushed down so that it surrounds the piston 26 and thepad 33 and becomes fully accomodated within.

the sleeve.

The ram is, if necessary, now operated again to raise the piston 26 to astarting position in which the space lying between the pad 33 on the topof the piston and the open top of the casing 9 is of predeterminedcapacity, movement of the piston in this direction then being halted.

A mass of curd, in chopped or strip condition and of predeterminedweight, is now poured into the open top of the liner 32 within thesleeve 21, the curd thus being received in the space lying between thepad 33 on top of the piston 26 and the top of the liner. As, in theembodiment illustrated, the apparatus stands vertically and can besupplied with curd from above after the lid 13 has been removed, thecurd-loading opeation may be performed by the use of an endless beltconveyor having its discharge end lyingabove the top of the easing 9,the curd being placed on the entry end of the upper run of the conveyorand eventually falling from the discharge end thereof into the openspace within the upper part of the liner 32.

When the filling operation has been completed, the lid 14 is applied tothe top of the casing 9 and fastened down tightly by means of the clamps16.

As the next step, the valve in the drain pipe extending from the drainhole 8 is closed, whereupon the jacketed space 24 between the casing 9and the sleeve 21 is placed in communication with the source of vacuumby way of the manifold 34 and its branches 36, the curd within the liner32 thus becoming vacuumized through the perforations in the sleeve 21and liner. This vacuumizing step takes place at first without anypressure being applied to the curd by upward movement of the piston 26,the ram 27/28 thus being idle during this time The vacuumizing step justreferred to results in extraction from the curd of occluded air andwhey, the extracted whey then trickling down the jacketed space 24 andaccumulating in the upper part of the pedestal l.

While vacuumization continues, the ram 27/28 is operated to cause theactuating rod thereof to move upwardly and thus raise the piston 26 tosuch an extent as to result in the curd being compressed only at arelatively low pressure between the pad 33 on the piston and the lid 14,such compression resulting in further extraction of air and whey fromthe curd and collection of the whey in the upper part of the pedestal 1.

After application of the vacuumizing step with low pressure from thepiston 26, vacuumizing ceases and the ram is now operated again to causethe rod 27 thereof to further raise the piston 26 thereby applying highpressure to the already partly compacted curd, the high pressure beingusually of the order of sixtyfive pounds to the square inch. Theapproximate position of the piston 26 when it is at the end of itsmaximum .compressio stroke is indicated in FIG. 3.

When the piston 26 is moved to exert pressure on the curd, the pressurewill tend to expand laterally the resilient pad 33 on top of the piston,thus promoting a good sealing effect between the edges of the pad andthe inner faces of the liner 32, and ensuring that the compressed curdwill not escape past the piston.

The high pressure phase is continued for a length of time that will beknown to the experienced cheese producer, whereafter pressurization isbrought to an end and the lid 14 then removed. At the same time, thevalve in the drain pipe is opened to thus allow the whey that hasaccumulated in the upper part of the pedestal 1 to flow out through thedrain hole 8, the whey then being disposed of as waste or utilized forsuitable industrial processing.

The ram is next operated to cause the rod 27 thereof to lower the piston26 sufficiently to allow the block of fully compressed curd to firsthang freely in the liner 32 and then drop of its own accord by adistance ensuring that it will disengage itself from the perforations inthe liner.

As a final step the ram is used to cause the piston 26 to push the blockout of the liner 32 through the open top of the casing 9.

The block of fully compressed curd may be entirely ejected from theliner 32 before it is cut into cheeses of standard unwrapped size, orwrapped as a complete block or parts thereof, or there may be provided,in conjunction with the apparatus, means for progressively cutting theblock into groups of such cheeses as the block is ejected, instep-by-step fashion, from the liner.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for compacting curd in the process of manufacturing cheese,comprising a pedestal, a vertically disposed tubular metal casingmounted on and secured to the pedestal, a vertically disposed perforatedmetal sleeve of rectangular shape in cross-section arranged within thecasing in such a manner that a jack- .eted space is formed between thetwo, the sleeve also being securedv against movement to the pedestal andbeing adapted to receive a mass of curd, a cover plate for closing theupper end of the casing, means for holding the cover plate removably inclosed position, a piston engaged for upward and downward movementwithin the perforated sleeve, the piston being secured to the upper endof the actuating rod of a vertically disposed ram the cylinder of whichis secured to and suspended frorn the pedestal, and means enabling thejacketed space between the casing and the sleeve to be placed incommunication with a source of vacuum.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1' and wherein the casing is offour-sided prismatic form and the sides of the perforated sleeve areformed with a plurality of outwardly projecting nodules the peaks ofwhich bear against the inside faces of the casing, thereby providing thejacketed space between the sleeve and easing.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and wherein the piston is ofsuch cross-sectional size as to allow for the presence in the perforatedsleeve of a perforated liner made from a suitable kind of plastic orstainless steel.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and wherein the upper surface ofthe piston is flat and forms a support for a pad of resilient material.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and wherein a hollow manifoldsurrounds the upper end part of the casing, the manifold having meansenabling its interior to be connected by a pipe to the source of vacuum,and also having a plurality of inwardly projecting branches which openinto the jacketed space between sleeve and casing.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and wherein the pedestal isformed with inspection ports which are normally closed by removablecover plates.

1. Apparatus for compacting curd in the process of manufacturing cheese,comprising a pedestal, a vertically disposed tubular metal casingmounted on and secured to the pedestal, a vertically disposed perforatedmetal sleeve of rectangular shape in crosssection arranged within thecasing in such a manner that a jacketed space is formed between the two,the sleeve also being secured against movement to the pedestal and beingadapted to receive a mass of curd, a cover plate for closing the upperend of the casing, means for holding the cover plate removably in closedposition, a piston engaged for upward and downward movement within theperforated sleeve, the piston being secured to the upper end of theactuating rod of a vertically disposed ram the cylinder of which issecured to and suspended from the pedestal, and means enabling thejacketed space between the casing and the sleeve to be placed incommunication with a source of vacuum.
 2. Apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 and wherein the casing is of four-sided prismatic form and thesides of the perforated sleeve are formed with a plurality of outwardlyprojecting nodules the peaks of which bear against the inside faces ofthe casing, thereby providing the jacketed space between the sleeve andcasing.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and wherein the pistonis of such cross-sectional size as to allow for the presence in theperforated sleeve of a perforated liner made from a suitable kind ofplastic or stainless steel.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 andwherein the upper surface of the piston is flat and forms a support fora pad of resilient material.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 andwherein a hollow manifold surrounds the upper end part of the casing,the manifold having means enabling its interior to be connected by apipe to the source of vacuum, and also having a plurality of inwardlyprojecting branches which open into the jacketed space between sleeveand casing.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and wherein thepedestal is formed with inspection ports which are normally closed byremovable cover plates.